Electrode furnace



J. H. GRAY.

ELECTRODE FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1920

u, 2 w]. K To In Rm .QN m M? m P.

J. H. GRAY.

ELECTRODE FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED JULv' 3|. I920.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Jag as H 6mg m "ma Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. GRAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRODE rnniucn.

Application filed July 31, 1920. Serial No. 400.489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrode Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

In my application for United States Patent No. 289,567 filed April 12, 1919. I have described a mechanism for supporting and adjusting the electrode or electrodes of an electric furnace, which permits the mounting of the motor or other source of power on a stationary or other structure outside of the furnace itself so that the motor will not partake of the tilting movement of the furuses; the mechanism being designed at the same time to hold the electrodes in substantially the same position with reference to the furnace when the furnace is tilted as when it is upright.

The present invention covers a specifically different arrangement for securing the same result.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a front and side elevation and a plan of the furnace, omitting parts which are not directly related to the furnace.

The furnace l is oblong in shape with a discharging spout 2 at the forward side and charging doors 3 at opposite ends. The bottom of the furnace is provided with rockers 4 rolling on tracks 5 so that it may be tilted forward to discharge it, or returned to its upright position for charging and operation. The foregoing parts may be of any usual or suitable design, a variety of constructions being known by which the furnace can be tilted.

Three electrodes 6, 7 and 8 are arranged on a line lengthwise of the furnace and cxtend downward through cooling boxes 9 in the roof of the furnace. Each electrode is clamped in a holder 10 which is extended to the rear and connected to the flexible cables 11 which supply it with current. The furnace. in rocking. turns about a pivotal axis 12 (Fig. 2) and at the same time moves bodily forward.

The furnace illustrated is for a threephase current and is for treating steel or iron. The electrodes are quite heavy, each weighing over two tons in the larger furnaces.

They have to he lowered or raised for the purpose of striking or breaking the are. and during the operation of melting or treating steel they are moved upward or downward short distances for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the length of the arc. l'lcretol'orc they have generally been supported by an overhead structure mounted on the furnace and movahic upward and downward. or by cables passing over 'sheaves on the overhead structure and leading to winding motors mounted on the back or side of the furnace. Such arrange-- ments put an excess weight on the shell of the furnace and require heavy auxiliary supporting members. Also the heat and fumes coming from the furnace are destructive to the motor and to th gearing generally used for reducing the speed between the motor and the electrodes. The mounting of the motor or other source of ower on an outside support avoids these dii-iadoxantages.

In the cor truction illustrated I provide winches 13. 14 and one for operating each of the elccirodue. and mount these on a fixed wall '16 at the hack of the furnace. inch of these winches may be operated by a separately controlled motor arranged as in my application No. 289.567 or by any other suitable or usual means.

A flexible connection extends from each winch to its electrode and is so designed that the elcctrmlc will he held in substantially the same position with reference to the furnace when the furnace is tillcd as when it is up. right; and will prcur bly he held in sub stantially the some pl ion with to the furnace ment.

In the case illustrated form 17 mounted on the ports for three sets of set for each electrode. The electrode 8 for example is supported by means of cables 18 and 19 attached at their lower ends 21 and. then downward at the side of the furnace, and the cable 19 running over pulleys 22 an overhead plati urn ace carries supguule pulleys. one

throughout the fitting nuneeoh and 23 and then down alongside the cable 18. The cables 18 and 19 are connected to an equalizing lever 24 from which a connection runs to the winch 13 corresponding to this electrode. The connection illustrated comprises a cable with a portion 25 extendingto a pulley 26 and winch 13.

similar arrangement is rovided for each of the other electrodes 'l and 6, the connections electrode around the separate pulleys 26 and respective winches. The mounted on a stud 3O projecting sidewise from the rocker 4 at t is side of the furnace.

The sheaves 26 furnace is rocked there is no substantial motion of the electrodes with respect to the furnace, that is their supporting cables are not shortened or lengthened.

e sheave is located at such a point that the intersection of its periphery with the radius of the rocker will h slight horizontal motion just sufficient to make u for the amount of cable whic is unwrapped from the sh d wrapped on it again backward. The length of the cable between the Winch and its point of engagement with the pulley 26 lies in a position which is so e successive positions of this part of the cable are practically parallel; and the balancing o the wrapping an unwrapping ell'ect about the pulley 26 as above explained results in the practical elimination of an lifting or lowering action of the electrodes (luring a tilting position.

or example, supposing the rocker 4 to have a radius of eight feet and the to have a radius of passing to other rnace is tilted; or twenty degrees in the case illustrated in which the furnace is designed to be tilted forty degrees. The center of the pulley 26 is so located on the the intersection of this radius yond the arc of the rocker. en the furnace is rocked so far as to bring the radius to a vertical osition the corresponding point on the pul ey, will, therefore, downward a distance of 1.78

k to approximately the starting position, a distance of 1.78 inches. t e movement of the end of the part 27 are so located that when the th is so slight that this part will be substantially (parallel for all poetween the motor and the electrode me be used having tor to the p tion-chan mg nace, an aving another part extending therefrom to the electrode, the pulley or dimotion-changing device being such that the point of enga ement of the flexible means therefor is su the same wh position mg movement of the furnace; so as to avoid substantial movement of the electrode withreferenoe to the furnace. In further ex Ianation of the location of e sheave or pu ley 26, it will be understood that as the f ks the center of the sheave moves horizontally and vertically and e ual 'l at is, the sheave does not turn on its supporting stud, but the sheave and stud together are rotated about their axis. This rotation of the sheave unwraps from it a cermay be made by without departin the invention, as defined in the fofi claims.

What I claim is-- y e combination with a tilting electric furnace of electrode adjusting mechanism for said furnace, said mechanism com risin a motor mounted independently of t e furnace and a flexible connection extending from said motor to the electrode, one part of said connection extending from the motor to a member mounted on gaging said member at a stantially unchanged when t e tilted and another part from owing extending from said point of engagement to the electrode, whereby the latter is held in substantially the same position with reference to the furnace when the furnace is tilted as when it is upright.

2. The combination with a tilting electric furnace of electrode adjusting mechanism for said furnace, said mechanism com rising a-motor mounted independentl of t e furnace, a pulley mounted on the mace and a cable operated by said motor and extending over said pulley to its electrode, said pulley being located in such a position on the furnaoe that as the latter is tilted the electrode therefor,

is held in substantially the same position with reference to the furnace as when it is up ht. g lhe combinationiwith a rocking electric furnace of electrode adjusting mechanism said mechanism comprising a motor mounted independently of 'the furnace a flexible connection extending from motor to its electrode, one part of said connection extending from the motor to a member mounted on the furnace and engaging said member: at a point near the curve of the rocker which has a minimum vertical motion andnnother part of said connection extending from said point of engagement to the electrode.

4. The combination with a rocking elec- .tric furnaceof electrode adjusting mecha- "nism therefor,

said mechanism com rising a motor mounted independently of t e furnace, a flexible connection extending from connection extending from the sheave to the" electrode. I

5. The combination with a rocking electric furnace of electrode adjusting mechanism therefor, said mechanism comprising a' motor mounted independently of the furnace, a flexible connection extending from said motor to its electrode, one part of said connection extending from the' motor-to a sheave .mounted'on the furnace and engaging said sheave at a point near the curve of -the rocker which has a horizontal motion substantially equal to the arc of the sheave through which it is turned in/the rocking of the furnace, and another 'part of said connection extending from thesheave to the electrode, the point of engagement of the connection with the'sh'eave being also located so as to have ajminimum vertical motion wherebj the electrode is held in substantially the samepositicn with reference to the furnace when the latter is tilted as when it is upright.

In witness "whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JAMES H. GRAY. 

